Antique Victorian Silver Agate Dirk / Dagger Brooch…….
I love these Scottish Silver & Agate brooches, they have such history and are still so wearable today - I use them to fasten various Pashmina's at the shoulder and they always draw comments. This one is in the "Dirk" style which is based on the traditional dagger & sheath used for close quarter fighting and later became decorative as part of the traditional Highland Dress.
These Dirk brooches were miniaturised in the Victorian period.
This is a particularly nice example, well made and finished and gives the appearance of three daggers in total (although there are non of course!).
The top is set with "citrine" paste and this is foiled and closed set the other pieces of agate are Montrose lace, Red Jasper and Bloodstone. the two lower "daggers" are also headed with paste "Citrine".
I would date it to around the 1890's and it is hand engraved. The back is finished well and it closes with a pin and C clasp both of which are secure.
It is in excellent condition with no dings front or back, or any chips to the agate. A good size it measures just under 3 1/2” (9cm) in length and is approx 1.5cm in depth so nice and substantial.
Weight 12.7g
M315
The boxes in the picture are for display purposes only (the one above will not close with the dirk inside) and your item will come in a good quality new reproduction antique box – it looks very impressive for presentation. I do sometimes have Antique boxes for sale please ask.
Please Note: All Weights & Measures are Approximate. Unless otherwise stated, any dimensions and estimated weights of gemstones in this description have been determined without un-setting the stones and are, therefore, to be considered only as a probable because of limitations imposed by the mount.
About Scottish Agate Jewellery….
Scottish Agate or Pebble Jewellery was made popular by Queen Victoria. When she travelled to the Highlands with Prince Albert she fell in love with the dramatic landscape and went on to purchase Balmoral, the rest as they say is history. This love extended to all things Scottish and when the London papers reported that the couple were wearing “polished pebble brooches made from local stones” it set a trend that would last for decades and even spread to Europe.
Written examples of this sweeping fashion are to be seen in the novel written by Elizabeth Gaskell in her novel Cranford (1851) set in the Cheshire village of Knutsford where one of the characters – Miss Pole was wearing no less than 7 Scottish pebble brooches!